Family:Whitney, Joel (1765-1857)

Joel⁶ Whitney (Jonas⁵, David⁴, Benjamin³, John², John¹), son of Jonas⁵ and Sarah (Whittemore) Whitney, was born 13 Sep 1765, Westminster, MA,^[1] and died 15 Apr 1857, Gardner, MA.

He married firstly, 29 Dec 1790, Westminster, MA, Lucy Holden,^[2] daughter of Abner and Elizabeth (Darby) Holden. She was born 25 Feb 1770, Westminster, MA, and died 1 Dec 1791, Westminster, MA in her 22nd year.^[3]

He married secondly, 16 Aug 1796, Westminster, MA, Mrs. Abigail (Holden) Merriam,^[4] daughter of Abner and Elizabeth (Darby) Holden. She was born 25 Aug 1767, Westminster, MA, and died 18 Nov 1848, Westminster, MA, aged 81 years.^[5] She had married firstly (int. 19 Sep 1785, Westminster) Nathan Merriam, son of Samuel and Anna⁵ (Whitney) Merriam. He had been baptized 29 Apr 1764, Lexington, MA, and died 10 Aug 1794, Westminster, MA. Her two husbands were first cousins.

He was a man of vigorous intellect, good practical judgment, and great force of character. His positive convictions and love of argument won for him in certain circles the expressive title of "Old Reason." He lived for a few years with his brother Jonas on the paternal estate, but at length sold to him, and purchased the place now owned by J. C. Goodridge, on the No. Common, where his remaining life was spent. His services were much in demand as an arbitrator for the settlement of personal differences and questions of controversy, requiring for their proper adjustment, good sense, an impartial judgment, freedom from prejudice, and the disposition to deal fairly and honorably with all parties concerned. He married 1st, Lucy, dau. of Abner and Elizabeth (Darby) Holden. She bore him 1 child and he married 2d, her sister, Abigail (Holden) Merriam, wid. of Nathan, by whom he had 6 ch. He resided Westminster, MA.

Child of Joel⁶ and Lucy (Holden) Whitney:

i.

Lucy Holden Whitney, b. 15 Nov 1791, Westminster, MA;[6] d. 18 Oct 1821; m. (int. 14 Oct 1813, Westminster, MA[7]) 28 Oct 1813, Westminster, MA, Joseph Brown,[8] of Westminister. Ch.; Lucy, b. 14 Jul 1814; m. Rev. Robert Stuart: George, b. 12 Dec 1816; m. Mary Perkins; Huldah, b. 8 Sep 1818; m. Calvin Whitney, 7 Sep 1837; Joseph, b. 23 Sep 1820; m. Mary Everett.

Children of Joel⁶ and Abigail (Holden)(Merriam) Whitney:

ii.	Cynthia7 Whitney, b. 12 Oct 1797, Westminster, MA;[9] d. 7 Apr 1891; m. 21 Sep 1826, Westminster, MA, Ebenezer Jones,[10] of Westminster. Ch.: J. Walter, b. 8 Aug 1829. In 1830 they went to Troy, NY. She died 1892. His wid. resided 47 Grand Division St., Troy.
iii.	Joseph H. Whitney, b. 27 Dec 1799, Westminster, MA;[11] m. Betsey Pratt.
iv.	Horace Whitney, b. 26 Apr 1802, Westminster, MA;[12] m. Mary Sawin.
v.	Elizabeth Barnard Whitney, b. 27 Mar 1804, Westminster, MA;[13] d. 17 Apr 1887; m. 6 Oct 1825, Westminster, MA, Timothy Weeks "of Northampton".[14] He was b. 13 Nov 1801, Bridgewater, NH; d. 1 Jul 1854. Ch.: Adeline Elizabeth, b. 2 Oct 1826; m. 24 Jan 1860, Nathan W. Frye; P. O. address, Mrs. Nathan W. Frye, 616 Main St., Woburn, MA; Mary A., b. 28 Jul 1828: m. 1 Feb 1849, Henry A. Fielding; P. O. address, Mrs.. Henry A. Fielding, Bozeman, MT; Harriet G., b. 25 Sep 1830; m. 1 Jul 1849, Jeremiah S. Hall; P. O. address, Mrs. H. G. Hall, 46 Tyler St., Lowell, MA; Augustus Whitney, b. 5 Feb 1833; m. 25 Mar 1867, Lauretta Frye; d. 21 Feb 1892, Lowell: Cynthia Jones, b. 25 Mar 1836; d. 15 May 1842; Ellen b. 2 Oct 1838; m. 8 Dec 1862, Rev. E. P. Tenney; P. O. address, Mrs. E. P. Tenney, Pembroke, NH; Emma D., b. 13 Mar 1841; m. 2 Mar 1869, Lester Willson: P. O. address, Mrs. Lester S. Willson, Bozeman, MT.
vi.	Theodore Whitney, b. 2 Apr 1807, Westminster, MA;[15] m. Betsey Wheeler.
vii.	Relief Farnsworth Whitney, b. 22 Feb 1810, Westminster, MA;[16] d. 26 Apr 1875; m. 21 Oct 1835, Troy, NY, Willet G. Tripp; resided Troy and Brooklyn, NY. He was b. 8 Feb 1810; d. 17 Apr 1869. Ch.: Caroline A., b. 27 Sep 1859; m. Ansen Adams; she d. 10 Apr 1880; Sarah A., b. 19 Mar 1842; resided 723 Federal St., Troy, NY; John W., b. 7 Sep 1844; m. Mary Higgins; P. O. address, 372 Pacific St., Brooklyn, NY; Harriet E., b. 18 May 1847; m. Henry Parker; P. O. address, 285 Clifton Pl., Brooklyn, NY; Franklyn M., b. 18 May 1850; m. June 1879, Alma Morris; P. O. address, 233 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY: four other children, who died in infancy.

Census

• 1800, Westminster, Worcester Co., MA: Joel Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 10-15, 2 males 0-9, 1 female 26-44, and 3 females 0-9.
• 1810, Westminster, Worcester Co., MA: Joel Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 2 males 16-25, 1 male 10-15, 2 males 0-9, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 16-25, 2 females 10-15, and 2 females 0-9.
• 1820, Westminster, Worcester Co., MA: Joel Whitney, 1 male over 45, 2 males 18-25, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, 2 females 16-25, and 1 female 10-15; 1 engaged in agriculture.
• 1830, Westminster, Worcester Co., MA: Joel Whitney, 1 male 60-69 1 male 20-29, 1 female 60-69, and 1 male 20-29.
• 1840: not found.
• 1850, Westminster, Worcester Co., MA:

192 233 Horace Whitney 46 M - Farmer $3000 Massachusetts Mary " 42 F - " Justin " 18 M - Chairmaker " Attended school Mary " 15 F - " Attended school Webster " 13 M - " Attended school Elizabeth " 12 F - " Attended school Alfred " 9 M - " Attended school Catherine " 5 F - " Attended school Alvin " 2 M - " Joel " 84 M - None "

References

• All data imported from Frederick Clifton Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, (Chicago: 1895), pp. 155-156.

1.^  "Joel [Whitney], s. Jonas and Sarah, [born] Sept. 13, 1765," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Westminster, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (1915).

2.^  "Joel [Whitney] and Lucy Holden, [married] Dec. 29, 1790," according to Westminster Vital Records.

3.^  "Lucy [Whitney], w. Joel, [died] Dec. 1, 1791. [22d year, G.S.1.]," according to Westminster Vital Records.

4.^  "Joel [Whitney] and [wid.] Abigail Meriam, [married] Aug. 16, 1796," according to Westminster Vital Records.

5.^  "Abigail [Whitney], w. Joel, d. Abner and Elizabeth Holden, [died] Nov. 18, 1848, 81y. 2m. 23d. Disease of the heart. [Died Oct. 28, C.R.]," according to Westminster Vital Records.

6.^  "Lucy Holden [Whitney], d. Joel and Lucy, [born] Nov. 15, 1791," according to Westminster Vital Records.

7.^  "Lucy H. [Whitney] and Joseph Brown, int. Oct. 14, 1813," according to Westminster Vital Records.

8.^  "Lucy [Whitney] and Joseph Brown, [married] Oct. 28, 1813," according to Westminster Vital Records.

9.^  "Cynthia [Whitney], d. Joel and Abigail, [born] Oct. 12, 1797," according to Westminster Vital Records.

10.^  "Cynthia [Whitney] and Ebenezer Jones, [married] Sept. 21, 1820," according to Westminster Vital Records.

11.^  "Joseph Holden [Whitney], s. Joel and Abigail, [born] Dec. 27, 1799," according to Westminster Vital Records.

12.^  "Horace [Whitney], s. Joel and Abigail, [born] Apr. 26, 1802," according to Westminster Vital Records.

13.^  "Elizabeth Barnard [Whitney], d. Joel and Abigail, [born] Mar 27, 1804," according to Westminster Vital Records.

14.^  "Elizabeth [Whitney] [Elizabeth B. in int.] and Timothy Weeks of Northampton, [married] Oct. 6, 1825," according to Westminster Vital Records.

15.^  "Theodore [Whitney], s. Joel and Abigail, [born] Apr. 2, 1807," according to Westminster Vital Records.

16.^  "Relief Farnesworth [Whitney], s. Joel and Abigail, [born] Feb. 22, 1810," according to Westminster Vital Records.

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